The Little Rock Zoo welcomed two new elephants, Sophie and Babe, who arrived Monday (Oct. 21) from the Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Ill. The elephants traveled overnight and were unloaded safely into the elephant barn and are being closely tended to by Zoo staff as they make the adjustment to their new home.

Sophie and Babe were transported by Feld Entertainment, Inc. and the Ringling Elephant Conservation Center who moved the elephants free of charge to both zoos.  Babe and Sophie are both former Ringling elephants and were donated to Niabi in 2000 and 2003, respectively.

The Niabi Zoo announced recently that it would end its elephant program and look for a new home for Sophie, age 44, and Babe, age 38.  Niabi sought to find a new location for the elephants with a more temperate climate at a facility with staff trained in the care and management of aging female elephants. Niabi conducted a nation-wide search to relocate Sophie and Babe and hired elephant expert Alan Roocroft as a consultant to recommend a new home for Babe and Sophie.  

Roocroft visited the Little Rock Zoo to do an assessment of the elephant program and chose Little Rock as the best new home for the Niabi elephants stating in his report that the elephant staff at Little Rock had several years’ experience handling elephants and provides excellent care for its elephant, Zina, a 53-year-old elephant, who Roocroft says is in excellent health for her age.

Stay up-to-date with the new elephants and other animals here.